Drop-brake-shaft mechanism.



2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

l zy? I G'. C. ELLIOTT & J. W. STEINMEYER. DROP BRAKE SHAFT MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. I916.

eyer

G. C. ELLIOTT & J. W. STEINMEYER.

DROP BRAKE SHAFT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. :8. 1916.

1,244,717, Patented Oct. 30,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

F/G- if H .W

FEED STAT PA E O GLENN c- ELLIOTT,

or MAPLEWOOD, AND JOHN w. STEINMEYER, or s'r. LOUIS, MIS- SOURI, A-SSIGNQRS 'IO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS,v MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW J g DBOP-BRAKE-SHAFT MEcHANlsM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

Application filed'December 18, 1916. Serial No. 137,573.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GLENN C. ELLIo'r'r and JOHN W. STEINMEYER, residing at Maplewood, St. Louis county, Missouri, and city of St. Louis, Missouri, respectively, and being citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improve.-

ments in Drop-Brake-Shaft Mechanism, of

had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention,'though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details:-

of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims willoccur to personsskilled in the art.

In said-drawingsz. I Figurel is principally a vertical section of one form of our improved brake shaft mechanism shown as applied to the end sill of a railway'car, the brake shaft being shown in elevation; I

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the same observed at right angles to its position in Fig. 1, part of the winding. sleeve being shown in section; I i

Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is aIlOtllGPhOIlZOIltitl section taken in a 'lower'plane on the line 4-4; ofFig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modified form of our improved brake shaft; 7 I Fig. 6 is ahorizontalsection taken on the line 6-6 ofFig.5; l Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the drop brake shaft mechanism illustrated in Fig.

5, being viewed at right angles to the struc-- ture of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is ahorizontal section taken on the line 8-80f Fig.7; v

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the upper bearing bracket for the winding sleeve shown in Fig. 10, showing the retroactive prevention means for said'sleeve; I v f Fig. 10 is an elevational view ofthe' preferred-form of our drop-brakeshaft mechanism shown as appliedto the end sillof .8 1179 i.

11 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 10;

section of the drop end sill, illustrated in Fig. '10; and

Fig.1? is a horizontal section taken on.

the line 1313 of Fig. 12..

The present invention relates to brake shaft mechanism whereln there is a means" for-the Winding or the unwinding, as may be desired, of the flexible terminals of brake sliding re f Fig. 112 is principally a vertical central brake shaft mechanism, taken in a plane at right angles to the car shaft sothat the latter may bemoved into an unobtrusive position at times when therejv is no desire to operate the. sleeve or other winding means. Also, such correlativefor mations are given the sleeve and brakeshaft that these elements may, by the relative sliding of them, be placed either .into a position where the sleeve is adapted to. be .di-

rectly driven by the brake shaft, or they may be arranged. so as to establish, a vir:

tual independence each Ofythfl other in so far as a driving connectlon between them is concerned;

Vertical disposition 7 may be given to brake shaft sleeve and when so arranged construction of these members,

the peculiar permits the brake shaft to be ,heldiin an elevated position or 1101138 maintained in a lowered position without the aid of latches or other operable appliances' The brake: shaft is therefore seen to beself-supporting;

,An advantage lies in the inability of the? brake shaft to accidentally shift from one, of itspositions to the other, deliberate and predetermined manipulation of the" brake: toefl'ect a change in:

shaft being necessary its position. The brake shaft and sleeveare interlocking against unintentional change of relation.

. Other vention,

features of novelty. pearing hereinafter are to be regardedas coming within the scopeof the present em g to th d wi g F gs lusive l s t o e m ofo r improved; p brake h ..me9 s h sh wni form an upper seated in the cylindrical bearing formed by ioned integrally therewith. I of said ratchet wheel 19 lies shaft 22 is Cylindrical for as being mounted upon a channel-shaped car end sill 15. Secured to, depending from and projecting in advance of the end sill 15, is" a brake shaft step 16. Suitably positioned above step 16 is a bearing bracketl? comprising a main portion secured to the top flange of the end sill and removable cap 17 bolted or otherwise fastened to the outer end of bracket 17. a r

A winding sleeve or drum 18 has a lower portion extending through an opening 20 in a lower horizontal shelf-like portion of brake shaft step 16 in such manner as to be journaled therein. Sleeve 18 extends ,upwardly for most of' its length with unchanged external diameter, but as it approaches the bearing formed by bracket 17 and its cap 17, it reduces in diameter to cylindrical journal which is bracket 17 and its cap. Winding sleeve 18 continues above its upper bearing preferably in'the form of a ratchet wheel 19 fash- The under side on top of bearing 17 and its cap 17 in such 'inannerthat it is incapable of passing downwardly therethroughand it cooperates with the sleeve material vertical movement of Winding sleeve 18.

A brake shaft 22 has its lower portion tele- Brake the major portion of its length, as seen in Fig. 3, but toward its lowerextremity is provided with a rectangular cross section such as is illustrated at 22 in Fig. 4. As 'best shown in Fig. 3,

scoped within winding sleeve 18.

the rectangular portion of the brake shaft has a thickness in one direction corresponding to the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the shaft, butin a direction at right angles to the first mentioned direction, said rectangular portion is of greater width than movable cap 17 1 end of sleeve wardly, care being contracted portion shown insaid cylindrical brake shaft portion.

Brake shaft step 16 and upper bearing bracket 17 with its cap 17 being attached to the end sill 15 in the course of the construction of the underframe, winding sleeve 18 may be mounted in the brake shaft step 16-by inserting its lower end through the bearing forming opening '20 therein. The upper reduced end of confined between the bracket 17 andits rewhereupon winding sleeve 18' will be properly attached to the car end. Brake shaft 22 may be placed in position by inserting its upper end through the lower 18 and passing the shaft upfirst taken to arrange the lower rectangular portion 22 of the brake shaft so that its wider thickness is al'inedtofpass through grooves 26 in the v Fig. l to bejust' below" said rectangular portion 22 sleeve 18 may then be rests upon shoulders 24. Said brake shaft will then be held in an elevated position. A suitable hand-wheel 21 may then be attached to its upper end which projects above ratchet wheel 19.

1V ith the parts so assembled, brake shaft 22 may be revolved by the proper turning of hand-wheel 21 and its lower rectangular portion 22 being seated in grooves or guideways 25 of sleeve 18 cooperates with the walls of said grooves or guideways to establish a driving connection between the brake shaft and the winding sleeve 18. Because of this driving connection between the brake shaft and sleeve, the flexible ends or chains of the brake rigging with which the car is equipped may be wound or unwound upon sleeve 18.

There are long periods during train oper-' a'tion when it is not desired to disturb the brake rigging and it is preferred to lower the brake shaft to an unobtrusive position. To accomplish this, brake'shaft 22 must first be raised until its lower rectangular portion 22 is entirely within the upper sleeve chamber 23, after which it may be given a quarter revolution to aline brake shaft rectangular portion 22 with grooves or guideways 26, after which brake shaft 22 and its handwheel 21 may be lowered, the rectangular brake shaft portion 22 passing down through guideways 26 into the lowe' sleeve chamber'27 in which the rectangular brake shaft portion is housed when the brake shaft is in its lowered position. lVhenever it is desired to raise the brake shaft to place it in drivingrelation to sleeve 18, it is simply raised through guideways 26, the necessary alining of the lower brake shaft portion 22 of course, being made until said rectangular portion is again within upper sleeve chamber 23. As before, the brake shaft is given a quarter revolution to aline its rectangular portion 22 with grooves or guideways 25,

after which it is lowered to be seated, as

wliich'thebrake shaftstep 16 is mountedon.

lVinding sleeve 18 is journaled'in brake shaft step 16 in substantially the same manner as it was in the previous form and at its upper extremity said sleeve is provided with an integral ratchet wheel 19. Suiiiciently below ratchet wheel 19 to preserve a good running fit between the bracket and sleeve 18", is a collar 28 preferably formed integrally with sleeve 18*. Ratchet wheel 19 andcollar28 prevent vertical travel of the winding sleeve 18*.-

The interior of sleeve 18 from its lower extremity upwardly to just above collar 28 is cylindrical, as shown in Fig. 6. From this point to the upper surface of ratchet wheel 19, the interior of sleeve 18 is square. The cylindrical and square cross sectional interior contours ofsleeve 18 are, however,

modified by the presence of diametrically,

opposed grooves or guideways 29 extending the entire length of sleeve 18, including its integral ratchet wheel 19. The purpose of these guideways 29 will be presently set forth.

- A brake shaft 22 is arranged to telescope within sleeve 18?. This brake shaft is square in cross section throughout the major portion of its length, but its lower end is cylindrical, as shown inFig. 6, from the bottom for a CllS".

of said brake shaft 22 upwardly; tance slightly in excess of the square portion of the bore of sleeve 18*. In assembling, brake shaft 22 is inserted through the 7 bottom of sleeve 18 and passed upwardly, a washer being secured to its lower extremity by nut 38 threaded onto a reduced end 34: of said brake shaft 22. Said brake shaft 22 is drawn upwardly until washer 32 encounters the lower end of the squared portion of sleeve 18, whereupon a further upward movement of brake'shaft 22 is prevented.

A rivet or bolt 30 is then passed through an opening vided -with the upper surface of ratchet wheel 19 when the brake shaft is in its normal upper position. It may be noted that rivet 30 is, in effect, 'an integral part 22, but is applied as shown because it is more economical to construct the'brake shaft in this manner.

When the heads 31 of brake shaft-carried bolt 30 rest on top of ratchet wheel 19,

enough of the squared portion of brake j shaft 22 extends into sleeve 18 to make en in. brake shaft 22 and is pro heads 31 adapted to rest upon tion 40 abruptly oins of the brake shaft r gageinent ivithsa-id squared bore portion of said sleeve 18 throughout its entire length. A driving connection is thereby'establlshed between, brake shaft. 22 and the winding sleeve:18 so that manipulation ofhandwheel 21 will cause a rotation of sleeve 18. ineither desired directionto' wind or unwind the brake chains.

It being desired to lower and its hand-wheel 21, it is first. necessary to raise said brake shaft until its lower cy-v lindrical portion extends through the upper square bore of sleeve 18 at which time, and not until then, brake shaft 22 may be given a partial rotation, say a quarter turn,

to aline the heads 31 of bolt with the guideways 29 that. extend throughout the length of, sleeve 18. vAfter such alineinent of bolt heads 31 with guideways 29, brake shaft 22 may be lowered. Again desiring to raise the brake shaft, it is drawn upwardly, washer 32 preventing its withdrawal from sleeve 18*. volved and again bolt 30 again re'engaging the upper of ratchet wheel 19 and the lower part of lowered, heads 31 of,

the brake shaft Said brake shaft is then resurface;

the squared portion of thebrake shaft 22 again coming into driving relation with the" squared internal portion of sleeve 18*, reestablishing the driving connection between i the brake shaft and sleeve 18 We illustrate our preferred form in Figs. 9 to 13 inclusive, the drop anisin being mounted on a channel-shaped car end sill 15 in the same manner as it wasv mounted in the form-illustrated, inF1gS;'l' and 2.- Sleeve 18 is principallycylindrical internally. and externally, the bore of said sleeve 18 being of uniform diameter from. end to end,.except whereit is expanded to 1 form the rim of ratchet wheel 19 and where the feather .36 is present. as inthe'form illustrated in Figs; 5 and 7, the winding sleeve 18 is prevented from having vertical travel by the ratchet wheel 19 and the inte gral collar 28. V

A brake shaft 22? has a portion telescopically arranged within sleeve 18", said brake shaftbeing provided with a major portion of a diameter substantially corresponding to the internal diameter of sleeve-18 and a lower portion 10 cally of sleeve 18".

portionof brake shaft 22" that is of larger diameter than its lower-portion 40, isprovided with grooves or guideways 37 and 38, the guideways 37 extending from brake shaft shoulder 39 upwardly for a distance approximately equal to the vertical length of feather 36, terminating at' its upper end in anabrfupt shoulder. -$1.;q'llheother groove brake shaft mecliof sufliciently reduced di- 'j ameter to :clear featherBG insliding verti Lower brake shaft porthe upper part of the brake shaft that is of larger diameter so as to form" an annular shoulder 39. The'upper raised sufliciently or guideway 38 is co-extensive with the length of the upper brake shaft portion of larger diameter. The lower extremity of the reduced portion 40 of brake shaft 22* is further reduced to receive a washer or collar 33, the portion over which said washer or collar 33 is slipped, extending below said washer or collar and being upset to form a retaining head.

Brake shaft step 16 and bracket 17 and its removable cap 17 being assembled with the car end sill 15 during the course of construc- 'tion, sleeve 18 is mounted thereinas described in connection with Figs. 5 and 7. The brake shaft 22 is, as before, inserted through the bottom of sleeve 18 and passed upwardly. Groove or guideway 38 is alined with feather 361:0 permit the continued upward movement of brake shaft 22 this movement being carried on until the shoul der 39 of the brake shaftis carried above the upper end of feather 3G. Thereafter, brake shaft 22" is given, say, a quarter revolution to aline its shorter groove or guideway 37 with feather 36, said brake shaft being then lowered until shoulder tl at the upper extremity of guideway 37 rests on top of feather 36. Brake shaft 22 will then be supported in its upper position and on account of the interlocking of the feather and the wall of guideway 37 will be incapable of independent rotation within sleeve 18 A driving connection between brake shaft sleeve 18 is therefore established. Handwheel 21 may then be'mounted upon the upper extremity of brake shaft 22 in any approvedmanner. Such times as it is desired to maintain the driving connection be tween the brake shaft and the chain winding sleeve 18, the parts are left in the positions shown.

Occasion arising for the lowering of the brake shaft 22 it must of necessity be to carry its shoulder 39 above the top of feather 36, after which it may be rotated to bring the lower ends of guideway 38 into alinement with feather 36, after which it may be slid downwardly until thebottom of the hand-wheel engages ratchet wheel 19, or other stop.

From the foregoing it will be readily appreciated that we have devised a drop brake shaft mechanism which is extremely sim ple in construction, comprises few parts and is not dependent upon latches or other eX- traneous devices to maintain the brake shaft in either of its positions, said brake shaft being self-supported. It also has the advantage of cheapness in manufacture and reliability in operation, as well as possessing the virtue of being capable of being in terlocked to prevent accidental derangement.

hat we claim is: I

1 In combination in. a drop brake shaft 22 and mechanism, a sleeve and a slidable brake shaft adapted to operate the same and to co-act directly therewith to be maintained in either operative or inoperative relation with said sleeve.

2. In combination in a brake shaft mechanism, a sleeve and a slidable brake shaft each formed to act as a unit, said shaft being adapted to operate said sleeve and to be maintained by the sleeve in operative and inoperative relation therewith.

3. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, tively movable with respect to each other and interdependent upon each other to assume both cooperative and independent relations.

4. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, sleeve and a slidable brake shaft, one having a formation so related to that of the other that said shaft is held in driving relation to said sleeve in one position but which are capable of rearrangement to otherwise position said shaft and causeit to be non-sleeve-driving.

5. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a sleeve and a slidable brake shaft each so formed that said shaft is held in an elevated sleeve-driving position by said sleeve, said shaftbeing operable to as sume a sleeve-non-driving position.

6. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a sleeve and a brake shaft in slidable relation, and cooperative means on said sleeve and shaft'obstructing and permitting relative sliding between said shaft and sleeve, said means being adapted to be arranged by movement of said shaft to prevent or permit such relative sliding.

7. In combination in a drop brake shaftmechanism, a sleeve and a brake shaft, guides and seating portions arranged on said sleeve and shaft under control of the shaft, whereby said shaft may be seated and held elevated and by its own manipulation be unseated, and given a lower position.

8. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a sleeve, a brake shaft slidable therein, shaft actuated guiding and seating means arranged on said sleeve and shaft and shaft-retaining means, whereby said shaft may be seated and held elevated and by its own manipulation be unseated, and given a lower position and held from separation from said sleeve.

9. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve, bearing means therefor preventing substantial longitudinal movement thereof, a brake shaft slidable in said sleeve, guiding and seating means on said sleeve and shaft subject to different mutual relations by actuation of the shaft to cause said shaft to be held elevated and to permit it to be lowered and supported. J i a a sleeve and a brake shaft rela- 10. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft telescopically combined, one being provided with a guideway and the other with a member adapted to relatively slide therein, and means normally preventing relative sliding of said shaft and sleeve, said shaft being capable of actuation to correlate said member and guideway to permit the sliding of said shaft to difierent positions to, respectively, drive and release said sleeve.

11. In combination in a brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft telescopically combined, shaft-and sleeve formed means cooperating to permit relative sliding of said sleeve and shaft but preventative of relative rotation therebetween, shaft-and-sleeve formed means permitting relative rotation between said shaft and sleeve, and means so relatively positioning said shaft and sleeve that either the first or second mentioned shaft-and-sleeve formed means is effective.

12. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft telescopically combined, each having portions forming a driving connection between said shaft and sleeve and other portions permitting independent rotary movement of said shaft and means for holding said shaft elevated in the indicated driving relation with said sleeve, said shaft being adapted by manipulation to be slid to a lower non-sleeving-driving position.

13. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft slidable therein, each having portions adapted to engage to cause said shaft to drive said sleeve, said sleeve having a portion in which said shaft may turn without driving the sleeve, portions of said sleeve and shaft being adapted to hold said shaft elevated in driving relation with saidsleeve, said shaft being adapted to be raised out of said driving relation and lowered to a nonsleeve-driving position.

14:. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft slidabletherein, each having portions adapted to engage to cause said shaft to drive said sleeve, said sleeve having a portion in which said shaft may turn without driving the sleeve, portions of said sleeve and shaft being adapted to hold said shaft elevated in driving relation with said sleeve, said shaft being adapted to be raised out of said driving relation and lowered to a nonsleeve-driving position, and means for preventing excessive raising of said shaft.

15. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft slidable therein each having, or hav- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for mechanism, a

ing in eflect, integral portions by means of which said shaft may be held elevated and in driving relation with said sleeve and retro-action means for said sleeve partly integral therewith.

16. Incombination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft so formed as to of themselves cooper ate to hold said shaft elevated and in driving relation with said sleeve or to permit said shaft to slide to a lower non-sleevedriving position.

17. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft so formed as to of themselves cooperate to hold said shaft elevated and in driving relation with said sleeve or to permit said shaft to slide to a lower non-sleevedriving position, and means forming bearings for said sleeve adapted to support the latter from car structure.

18. In combination in a drop brake shaft revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft so formed as to of themselves cooperate to hold said shaft elevated andin driving relation with said sleeve or to permit said shaft to slide to a lower non-sleevedriving position, car-supported means forming a bearing for said sleeve and means preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said sleeve.

19. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft so formed as to cooperate without an additional shaft-supporting device to hold said shaft elevated and in driving relation with said sleeve or to permit said shaft to slide to a lower non-sleeve-driving position, and a divisible bearing for said sleeve.

20. In combination in a brake shaft mechanism, a relatively slidable revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft, both provided with curved and uncurved portions and portions for mutual engagement, whereby said brake shaft may be maintained in different relations to said sleeve.

21. In combination in a brake shaft mechanism, a relatively slidable revoluble sleeve and a brake shaft, both provided with curved and uncurved portions and portions for mutual engagement, whereby said brake shaft may be maintained in different relations to said sleeve and interlocked against unintentional change in mutual relation.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

GLENN O. ELLIOTT. JOHN W. STEINMEYER.

' Witnesses:

OSCAR Hooncnac, CHRISTIAN Gamvnss.

Washington, D. 0. 

